Automail Eyes
by Pheo the Flame
Summary: While walking through a desert, Ed and Al stumble across a strange girl. Why is she running, and what is she running from? No pairings as of yet, may be AlphonsexOC later. But much later.
1. Chapter 1

**Automail Eyes**

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. I don't own anything. I don't even own MY COMPUTER! Okay? Just give me a break! Just leave me alone! *Proceeds to have mental breakdown*

AN: I'm sorry to those of you who read this earlier. I really didn't like the name Aura, so I changed it after a few messages back and forth with the great and wonderful Soul Maiden 24. You might find out about the spelling of Luci eventually…

…

Trudge. Trudge. _Trip. _"Dammit!" Screamed one rather… vertically challenged, blonde-haired, gold-eyed state alchemist named Edward Elric as he plummeted towards the sand for what felt like the millionth time that day. (In reality, it was only the fourth.)

The suit of armor that contained the soul of his younger brother, Alphonse, reached down and caught him by his right arm before he hit the ground. "Brother," he asked concernedly, "Are you alright?" Ed nodded as he stood and brushed himself off. "What was it you tripped over?"

"It doesn't matter," Edward replied, "Let's just keep going."

"But brother," Al suggested, "Maybe we should move whatever you tripped on, so no one else does." Ed shook his head and set off again into the endless stretch of sand. He hated deserts. The sooner they were out of this one, the better. But Al hung back. Ed glanced back at him, ready to snap that he wasn't going to waste his time digging out a log of rock or dead coyote or whatever it was he had tripped on, when he saw that the sand was moving.

"Al," Ed said, "What are you doing?" Al shook his head.

"I'm not doing anything brother," he answered. "But…" he trailed off and knelt down in the sand. "Brother, there's a girl here." Ed swore. He didn't have _time _for this! "Brother, please… she's hurt." With another few choice words, Ed walked back over to Al.

"Al, c'mon then," he said, "We'll take her back to wherever she's from and-"

"No." The girl didn't look hurt, but rather she appeared to be starved and malnourished. Her breathing was shallow and harsh, and her eyes were closed. Her blue hair was full of sand and her arms were bare, though a blue cloak lay near her. She was dressed in black.

"Her- your arms!" Ed said in shock. "They're automail!" A small smile spread across the girl's face, though her eyes remained closed.

"Yes," she said, "My arms have both been lost. But not just them… one leg, a few ribs, over half of my spine…" her eyes shot open and both boys jumped back. "And my eyes." Her eyes were metal, with shockingly green irises. They moved easily enough, but there had obviously been no attempt made to hide their falseness.

"What happened to you?" Ed asked. He'd never seen a person who had so much automail, much less found a blue-haired girl in a desert with so much of it!

"Help me up," the girl replied, "And please, excuse my manners. My name is Luci. I don't know if I could have lasted another day, even moving only by night, if you hadn't found me." Al helped her up carefully, and though her left leg shook a bit, she appeared to be fine.

"I'm Edward Elric," Ed said, "And this is my _younger _brother, Alphonse Elric." Luci laughed.

"I see… so why is it you're wearing that suit of armor- Wait, did you say Elric? Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist?" Her voice, instead of sounding impressed or awed, seemed small and scared. "They sent you, didn't they? They knew I got out!" She took a step back, and another, bending down to snatch her cloak as she did. "Get away from me!"

"Wait Luci," Al said, stepping forward, "Who're they?" Luci hissed at him, retreating further.

"Like you don't know," she snarled, "You and your runty little brother there. They don't want me telling anyone about what's going on!" Ed was glaring daggers at Luci, but she ignored him and stared at Al like she was wondering exactly how she'd get away from him.

"Look," Ed snapped, "I don't know who you're talking about, but we aren't with anyone." Luci glared at him.

"I don't trust alchemists," she said, "Not after my life." She took another step back. "Not after being used by them for –for human transmutation…" she trailed off. "But you wouldn't know, would you." She sighed and turned away from them. "My eyes used to be blue…" she smiled, reliving old memories that no one else could see.

"Wait," Al said, "They used you for human transmutation?" Luci smiled weakly; her high cheekbones and sunken eyes making her look like a skeleton, and nodded. "What on earth… Brother, we have to do something about this!"

"About what?" Luci asked, "After all, it was a pair of state alchemists who told us to start experimenting over a hundred years ago." Then she threw her cloak over her shoulders and clasped it at her neck, and set off. "My town is the other way!" She yelled, "If you can survive the riots!" Ed looked at Al, who nodded.

"Hey," Al called, "Wait. Don't you have a family back there?" Luci went rigid, and turned back to them.

"Don't _ever,_" she hissed, _"Ever _mention my family again." She whirled around and continued walking off, leaving Edward and Alphonse stunned.

"Wow," Ed whispered, "I wonder if she lost everyone…?" Al shook his head.

"She's going to die out here brother," he said, "We have to change her mind somehow." Ed sighed.

"Okay, fine," he said, knowing Al wouldn't be talked out of this. "Hey, Luci-ann or whatever your name is!" Luci spun around. "We know exactly what you're talking about! I have automail limbs too!" He pulled off his own red cloak to reveal his automail arm and waved it at her. Luci's eyebrows shot up, but she made no move to go back over to them. "My leg too, and Al lost his whole body!" He yelled. From a hundred feet away, he could see Luci instantly become alert. Her eyes whirred audibly as she turned back to the horizon and looked out at the world.

"Fine," she said. "I'm not coming with you, but I'll only take you as far as my town. I told myself I was leaving for good, and I meant it." With cautious steps, like a wild animal approaching a human, she walked back over to them. "I just hope I can trust you."

…

AN: Now, I know this isn't the longest, but I promise that chapters will be getting longer as the story progresses. If you would like to see this continued, please go to my profile and vote for it on my poll! (And check out my other stories, if you wish.) And please, REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA… but it would be pretty amazing if I did, wouldn't it?

…

The sun went down. It sank in front of the trio like a glass orb filled with lava and neon, but only Ed had to shield his eyes. Luci never stopped, and she never slowed down. She didn't speak unless a question was asked of her, reminding Ed of a soldier fresh from a battlefield. "Hey, Luce," he said, "Are we stopping soon? I'm starved."

"Eat as you walk," Luci replied, not turning. Her blue hair had taken on a purple hue with the red rays of the setting sun. "I'm not stopping. I don't like the idea of going back to my town, and I don't want to drag it out."

"Alright, look!" Ed yelled, "What is wrong with you? You act like you've been living in hell your entire life, and then you offer to take us there-"

"At your request!" Luci snapped back at him. "Do you think I want to go back to the place that belongs to–" she stopped, both speaking and walking. "That belongs… to my…" she shivered and set off again. "We'll be there in about half an hour. Then we'll eat, and you can be on your way." Al looked over at Ed.

"I thought you might have changed your mind," he said quietly.

"I don't like ditching a couple of kids, especially in my town… but I think maybe you two can help… ah, I'm speaking nonsense. I haven't even seen what you two look like… but then again, I shouldn't. I stopped seeing normally when I lost my eyes…" She whirled around, suddenly, "You were looking for the Philosopher's Stone, weren't you?" Ed blinked and looked at Al.

"Um…" Al began uncertainly, "I don't think we ever said…"

"Oh, so you are," Luci said, "I could tell, you know. I can see things differently now; my cursed blessing. I have it, if you want it, but you have to earn my trust first." Ed's jaw dropped.

"You _what?" _He yelled.

"Well, I think that's what it is," Luci said uncertainly, "But I'm not giving it to just anyone, ya know." She grinned, and Ed, who was still gaping, starting choking on sand that was beginning to collect on his tongue.

"Bleh," he muttered, trying to scrape his mouth clean, "Okay, how do we earn your trust?"

"Free my town," Luci said immediately.

"Come with us then," Ed replied. They stood, facing each other, for about half a minute. The sky was dusky, the full moon just beginning to peek over the horizon. Luci's eyes glowed green, but her right eye had a red tint to it.

"I –I can't," she whispered, "You don't know… know what it's like. Nothing feels right there… and to be like me… hurt and abandoned, with your entire family dead and your best friend killed before your eyes…" She closed her eyes and bowed her head, shivering. Her blue hair framed her face, and hid the single tear that fell from her cheek. "It's too much for me."

"Luci," Al said, "We'll be there too. We can protect you." There was silence for a moment.

"No," Luci said, "That would put you in danger. I won't let that happen. You're both still young."

"You're our age!" Ed snapped.

"Fifteen," Luci said, "Yes, your age, but you grow up faster than you age there." She looked over her shoulder, to the ground that was still left to cover. "If we keep going, we can get there tonight," she commented.

"We?" Al asked. Luci sighed.

"Yep, 'we'," she replied. "I guess you caught me there. I remembered something… something I have to do. But don't expect me to hang around." Her eyes shone in the evening light as she looked up again. "Let's go. Maybe we can get something to eat once we're there."

"Awesome, food!" Ed exclaimed, "How far is it? I can race ya!" Luci laughed.

"Such innocence," she murmured, "How I wish I could be like that again." She smiled sadly and turned around. "Alright soldiers, double time now," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Ed did a double take. Had that been a chain around her neck? But there was nothing there now.

"Hey," he called, jogging up to Luci, "Look, can you tell me anything else about your town?" Luci shook her head.

"I'd rather not. But I guess… you're asking because you saw this, correct?" She lifted her hair from her neck, revealing not a chain, but a thick black metal clamp that encircled her neck. There were clips on the front and back of it, and the left and right. "This is what took my eyes. These," she pulled up her sleeves to reveal two metal shackles that Ed hadn't noticed before, "Took my arms. There are two on my legs as well. I guess I need to tell you this, but this is it: once they get these on you, you're dead."

Al had caught up to them as well. "So, this is what they did to you?" He asked, shaking his head. "Does everyone in your town wear these chains?" Luci shook her head.

"Only those about my age," she said, "When we're at our peak. The very young and the elderly are… well, considered useless. Once you hit thirty," she shook her head. "If you're still alive, you are permitted to marry… but you're at risk for being drawn for experiments 'till you're forty. That's how… how I lost my mom… And then your children are at risk for these experiments, shackled and chained and told that they have a good chance of living when they don't…" Luci was crying now. "Please don't ask anymore."

"Of course," Ed said, "If you want, we can camp here tonight –"

"No," Luci said, "No. I don't want to be this close." Her eyes were wide and, even though there was no emotion in them, fear shone plainly on her face. Her right eye was more distinctly red now.

"Okay," Al said, "Let's keep going then." His voice was full of determination. Ed nodded in silent agreement. Luci blinked away a tear and turned. She didn't bother hiding her collar now, and shucked her coat off as well, exposing her shackled automail wrists.

"Here," she said, tossing it back to Ed, "You're gonna want it, it gets cold out here at night, and I'm more acclimated." Ed, caught off guard, barely caught it. "And Al…" she trailed off. "Um, this is going to sound weird, but you're hollow, correct?"

"Yeah," he said, "Why?"

"Well," Luci replied, "It's going to be hard to get one person into my town… two would be almost impossible. Can Ed hide in you for a bit?" Al was a bit taken aback, but nodded with a creaking of metal.

"If it'll help you," he said, "I guess." Luci, unbeknownst to the two brothers, smiled.

_I wish I had someone I wanted to protect, _she thought, _I wish I had someone to love who was alive. _His face flashed in front of her eyes, his light tan skin, dark brown eyes that got lighter as you got nearer to them, and the kindness that glowed from them… his sandy blonde hair and goofy smile… she pulled something out of her pocket. It was a photo, many times folded, but one face still shone brightly. _Oh Andres, _she thought. _Only a year… no, only six months. I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep going some days… I miss you so much. Why did they take you away?_ She shook her head. She had to learn to let him go. She had been taken at such a young age; lost so much to alchemy… come back to hear the news… but she had gained as well. And even though she didn't know how to use the Philosopher's Stone, she would help these two boys. She would help them, and maybe… maybe she could help herself in the end as well.

"Hey Ed," she said quietly, "You see that cacti up there?" Ed strained his eyes. He could barely make it out in the dim light.

"Yeah," he replied, "Sort of."

"Alright then," Luci grinned. "Race ya!" Laughing, the three took off. For just a moment, Luci was able to forget her past and act like a kid.

But only for a moment.

…

AN: Alright, I decided to post chapter two because my poll for the story to continue is tied, and has been like that for about a month… so if you see this, and like it, I'd really appreciate your vote and a review, if you feel like leaving one. Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. If you try to sue me, I'll have Winry hit you with a wrench!

**…**

Luci and Ed arrived at the cactus at about the same time, with Al right behind them. The two with lungs were panting and blowing steam into the rapidly cooling night air, though Al was untroubled. "You're… fast," Ed panted, "For all the… automail you have." Luci nodded.

"Like I said," she shrugged, sucking in a huge lungful of air and releasing it slowly, "I had to get used to it very quickly." She took a good look at the cactus, then began pulling thorns away from one side. "Care to help?" She asked the two, "It's the best way to get water out here, sometimes the only way. Ed, just use your automail arm so you don't draw blood. We're very close, and the chimeras can smell blood from two miles."

"To the village?" Al asked. Luci nodded. "It's almost dark," he said, "Shouldn't we at least wait until tomorrow morning?"

"No," Luci snapped. Her left eye glowed acid green, her right blood red. "I wouldn't dare stay this close for one night. We'll get a drink and go as soon as we can… hold that thought." Her eyes roved over the desert sand for a long moment. "Ed, in Al, _now._" There was something in her voice that told Ed not to argue, and in a moment, the suit of armor held one short of stature state-alchemist as well as the soul of his younger brother. "And hide. Follow me if you can."

"Luci, what are you doing?" Ed asked. His voice was tinny. She shook her head, covering her right eye.

"Do you want the truth?" She asked.

"That would be nice," he commented.

"In that case," Luci said softly, "I'm going to hell." Then they heard the voices. Luci shoved Al away from her, then took off in the other direction. "See you there!" She yelled, and then charged off toward where the sounds were emanating from.

"Al, I can't decide if she's crazy, brave, bipolar, or suicidal," Ed grumbled.

"Probably all four," Al replied, "But we've got to help her, brother!" Ed nodded, even though he knew Al couldn't see him.

"Let's go," he said, "But let me out first." In a moment, he was back on solid ground. In the minute and a half he'd been inside Al, the sun had set completely and it was pitch dark. "Al, can you see?"

"Only a little," came the reply. "But she went off that way." He gestured with his arm, and with a nod, Ed ran off, Al a couple feet behind.

Al's direction led them over a sand dune, about halfway down, and ten feet to the right. Well, the shouting helped their direction somewhat, and when they got to another large cactus, Ed stopped dead. Luci was nowhere to be seen, but a man and a woman were sitting near a fire, a net suspended by them that seemed to have caught –"Oh damn…" Ed swore softly to himself, unable to believe that Luci had been snared so quickly. A tiny drop of blood glistened on her nose, and the woman flicked it off impatiently.

"Come on," she said to the man, "We need to get back soon. I doubt she'll be any good, but if their name is drawn then we don't have much choice." The man stayed where he was, his face upturned toward the breeze.

"I smell others," he said, just loudly enough for his voice to carry to the now petrified alchemists. "They do not smell of our home." The woman tensed.

"Fetch." A snarl ripped out of the man's throat and he ran towards where they were hiding.

"A chimera," Ed gasped. He was reminded painfully of Nina, the little girl who had been turned into a chimera by her own father, and recoiled instinctively.

"I'd say a dog or a wolf," Al said, "Brother…" Ed knew what was on his mind. This was bad. Very bad. They could barely see, while this chimera would most likely have night vision. They would tire quickly, while his (or was it 'it's'?) stamina would probably have been increased.

"He can't use alchemy," Ed said, "Or at least, he shouldn't be able to. C'mon Al, help me out here…" With that, Ed put his hands together and knelt in the desert sand. _A wall. I need a wall… _Throwing every ounce of his being into his thoughts, (something he rarely needed to do anymore, alchemy was so natural) he pressed his hands down against the sand and felt the energy reach out and begin something that never failed to take his breath away. As molecules were rearranged, all in split seconds, a huge wall, easily ten feet tall and four feet thick, erupted around him and Al.

A fort, complete with slots for weapons to be fired from.

Problem: They had no weapons, and there was a wolf chimera prowling outside, waiting for them to give up.

Solution: One very angry girl with a grudge.

"You IDIOTS!" They heard Luci yell. "You no good bunch of midget, tin-can cowards!"

"MIDGET?" Ed screamed, "I'll show you a midget! You'll be ten inches tall by the time I'm done with you!"

"A tin can?" Al whispered. "Really?" In the meantime, Ed had begun to transmutate the sand into large rocks, which he was throwing at –

No, not the chimera, not the woman, but Luci. One hit the rope that held the net closed, and it snapped as though it had been cut. The girl came tumbling to the ground, where she easily dodged the rest of the furious Ed's missiles. One of them clipped the woman on the side of the head; she swayed a bit and then dropped to the sand.

That did more good than just knocking out one enemy. Ed remembered that he didn't need to kill Luci just then, and began throwing small boulders at the chimera instead, standing on Al's shoulders. Unfortunately, the chimera was fast. Very fast. It was far away from the boulders before Ed could even throw them.

"Brother, try a spear," Al said, "A stone spear, like you used against Father Cornello." Ed frowned.

"I was going to do that," he grumbled as a long spear flew up from the ground. He held it out in front of him, aiming for a spot between the thing's neck and shoulder. He drew his hand back, his heart thudding a cadence of fear and thrill in his chest. _This is what it feels like to kill... _

"Ed no!" Luci screamed. "Don't hurt him! I just…" she ran towards the chimera, who snarled at her to back off. She stopped dead, but didn't go back. "Dad," she whispered, stretching a hand out in front of her, "Don't you remember me?" The thing snarled again, and Ed glanced between the two in shock. "It's okay," Luci whispered, "Oh dad… what did they do to you?" The man snarled again.

"What did they do to you?" He rasped. "What did they do… to me?" He stretched a hand out, reaching towards Luci.

"Oh dad," she took another cautious step toward him. "Dad… they made you into a chimera." She let out a strangled sort of half-sob and ran into his arms. "And Andres, they took Andres too… I thought you were dead… dad… daddy…" He stroked her blue hair with a crooked, bent hand.

"Gabriel's fine," he replied. "He'll be okay. Oh Luci…" Her head flew up.

"No," she whispered, "Oh God… no…" she shoved him away from her. "Lucifer and Gabriel… their own sick joke!" The words left her mouth as a snarl, and even Ed recoiled. The walls around him and Al fell.

"Hush Luci," her father said, "He's okay. We'll find him sometime. Are these friends?" She nodded.

"Your name… is Lucifer?" Ed asked in shock. Luci nodded.

"It isn't the name I was born with…" Luci whispered, "But they erase our memories of our old names after we are taken for experiments. Sometimes people will be lucky and receive a name close to what they had, but… they never know it." Her father nodded.

"I am only known as experiment three-six-seven, sometimes 'wolf' when people feel like being kind to me. It is the only name I know now." 'Wolf' stepped away from his daughter. "Luci, you know why I was sent out to find you." She nodded. "You can't go back."

"I have to," she replied. "These two," she gestured towards Ed and Al, "Are going to save our town. They're alchemists, dad, they'll help us. They've already saved my life twice today." A light smile tipped her father's lips.

"Luci, you shouldn't be foolish," he said. "Our town is beyond saving, by anyone. If you are going to leave, go now, and hope that you can make a good life somewhere else in Amestris."

"Father, I can't just leave this town!" She snapped back, "How could you even _think _I could do such a thing after what I've seen? These two saved me, and I am grateful. They led me to you, though they didn't know it, and offered to help me. They know what it's like to be weighed down with automail…" Ed showed off his arm and Al removed his head.

"So you're going back in hopes that these two crack-job alchemists can save the town," her father said dryly.

"Ed's a state alchemist," Luci snapped back. "The Fullmetal Alchemist, the youngest ever. He'll be a great help."

"I…" Ed paused, unsure of even what he wanted to say. "Listen, sir. My brother and I are willing to help. We know a bit about… human transmutation…" he paused for a split second. "And we know now that it's not possible. Even with the Philosopher's Stone, there are certain things that shouldn't be attempted with alchemy. Luci said that she'll give us her stone, provided we free her – your town, and we agreed. We can't back out now." Wolf's eye twitched.

"Why do you want the stone?" He asked.

"To get our bodies back to normal," Ed replied.

"Dad, you have to let them help," Luci pleaded, "I did tell them I'd give them the stone if they freed the town… Please." There was a smile from the chimera, and a nod.

"Your intentions are good. However, a couple of alchemists, a dusty old chimera, and an old experiment can't just charge in and expect to live." Luci looked a bit insulted at being called an 'old experiment', but she said nothing. "So, we are going to make a bit of a plan."

"I like the sound of that," Ed said, rubbing his hands together.

"I just know I'm going to end up being put back in that damn net," Luci sighed. It was almost eleven, and the moon now shone bright and full, but the odd foursome sat down in the sand and began to talk.

**…**

AN: Okay! I swear this is the last filler chapter. Chapter five _should _be longer, but at the moment… I really can't guarantee anything. My summer is a bit crazy… I was hoping to have this finished about two weeks ago. Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Disclaimer: I wasn't able to get ownership rights for FMA… however, I WILL NEVER GIVE UP! But, for the moment, I am forced to say that I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

…

"So that's what the Fifth Laboratory was," Ed finished as Wolf continued to drag Luci along in the net. He had just finished the explanation (with Al's help) of the laboratory where the government attempted to create Philosopher's Stones.

"They must have known," Luci said, "When they –oof!" (She had been dragged over a rock.) "That when they created it, that they would be found out some day. That's why they came here and created our town." She shifted, trying in vain to make herself comfortable within the ropes and metal links, but to no avail. Ed was about to explain a bit about the chimeras he and Al had come across, but at that moment, they reached the top of the sand dune they had been struggling up, and–

"We're here," Wolf stated with a slight snarl. There was a short silence.

"Dad," Luci said, "If this goes wrong… I love you, okay? Just… know that. Ed, Al, if I do die, there's still a very good chance of a Philosopher's Stone being created. Take it and get out of here if you can, and try to get as many people as you can out with you."

Ed nodded, only half listening. He was staring at the huge, sand-worn walls that stretched as far as he could see, and the two guards who stood at the tiny, pinprick of a gate, like tiny dots of blue on a tan canvas. There were no guard towers that he could see, no one and nothing but those two guards.

"Are those…?" Al began, but Wolf stopped him.

"Yeah. Chimeras, just like me." He stared at them with undisguised loathing. "I remember them. It was that same pair –the guards work in shifts, you see, and pairs, always the same pair– that took my wife from me." There was a small gasp from Luci. "But come, we'll have time enough to reminisce once this is over." And with that, he threw the net containing Luci to Al, who threw it over his shoulder. Luci thudded once against the armor, and gasped in pain.

"Sorry Luci," Al said, "But if they see us being careful…"

"Smart move boy," Wolf said with a small grin. "Just don't hurt her too bad, hmm? They don't take 'em for the circle if they're too beat up." Ed caught the hint to get into 'character', and took a place about two steps behind Wolf.

…

"We're here on military orders," Ed snapped at the guards, "Is this enough proof for you?" He showed them his pocket watch, which glistened in the sunlight. His red cloak (he'd given Luci's back to her before they'd set off) stirred around his ankles in the breeze, and the girl's eyes opened briefly, focused on the red fabric, and then the black design that decorated the back. She recognized it, but from where, she didn't know. And the group was too close to the guards for her to ask about it… where had she seen that symbol? She let her eyes drift shut, and thought about every place she remembered visiting, trying to remember, trying, trying…

As Luci thought, Wolf was leading them through the city. They had gone straight past the guards with Ed's watch, and now they were going to… well, only Wolf and Luci knew at the moment, but they were headed towards the labs. The labs where they had both lost so much, and so many. And, in the case of Luci, poor Luci, who had gained so much… underwent the worst of tortures.

Ed and Al followed a step or two behind Wolf, Al still carrying Luci, Ed with his hands in his pockets and a slight scowl on his face. He didn't see what was so bad about this town; it was nothing like the hell Luci had painted it as. The streets were wide, and though he didn't see any cars, horse-drawn buggies and carriages made the place seem lively and bright, along with the flowers that were being tended and sold, and the stalls that lined the street, selling everything one could imagine or wish to buy. Some people glanced at them as they walked by, but the Elrics were used to it by now. And since no one had called Ed 'short', 'shorty', 'pip-squeak', 'midget', 'bean sprout', or Al's little brother (or son), or any other offensive (to Ed) names, he was still being classified as 'sane'.

"I don't know Luce," Ed muttered under his breath, "This is a pretty nice place."

"We're almost there," Wolf snapped, stopping Luci from replying. "Master Elric, do you wish to be introduced to the head alchemists here?" Ed knew what he was supposed to say; what he _had _to say, but it still brought a sour taste to his mouth as he answered.

"Yes. I am quite… interested in what occurs here."

"As you wish, Master Elric," Wolf replied, "We are quite close. Might I take a small detour along the way, to relieve your brother of the filth he carries?"

"Please," Ed replied, "Its presence is making me nauseous." Wolf nodded.

"This way, Master Elric, this way…" he led them down a narrower, gravel road, where no carts traveled, and the two Elrics began to see the town Luci had grown up in. The further along the road they traveled, the duller the buildings became, with peeling paint and broken windows, and the road became potholed and uneven; the grass dead and brown. However, they still met no one; saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was like a ghost town.

"Where are the others?" Al asked quietly.

"They know better than to disturb us with their presence," Wolf replied, but at that moment, they all saw a girl with short brown hair in the street, by a broken fountain that somehow managed to still create a dull trickle of water from its top. She moved with obvious pain in her right arm, and when she turned to face them, it became plain that it was automail that grieved her. Several of the fingers on her left hand shone with the brightness of metal, and her right hand and wrist resembled Ed's.

"Oh God… oh God, no…" they heard her whisper in the dead silence. Then she darted off, obviously terrified.

"She will be punished later," Wolf growled, "But for now…" He walked past the fountain and towards the house at the end of the street. Luci whimpered.

"I'm scared," she breathed, so that only Al could hear her. "I don't know if I can do this…"

"You'll be fine," Al breathed back. (Well, a suit of armor can't actually breathe, but… you know what I mean.) He continued to follow his brother and Wolf down the street, and Luci went limp again, still trying to remember where she'd seen the symbol on the back of Ed's cloak and now, she noticed, on Al's shoulder. She was _so close _to remembering, but whenever she got close to the answer, her mind went blank. She simply could _not _remember; it was like her old name. But she _knew _this memory hadn't been taken from her. She just knew it! It was there, somewhere, and she would find it, no matter how hard she had to search, or for how long.

When they got to the house, Wolf took Luci from Al. "It is best that the two of you stay here," he said, motioning to the spot several feet in front of the steps where they were standing. "This is the only place in the town where alchemists are unwelcome."

The two brothers took a step back.

"Oh, they just don't like it when they come in," Wolf assured them. Then he knocked.

Instantly, the door flew open, and an old woman, bent double with age and sporting a wispy head of gray hair, stood in the entrance. "Oh Wolf," she said, and her voice was quite kind, "She's come back?" He nodded.

"I'm afraid so," he said, "They drew names this time, and…" he sighed, and started again. "Just take care of her, okay? Make her comfortable before…" The old woman nodded. "Luci, get up now." He set the net down, and the girl stood. She was shaking somewhat, but glanced back at the Elrics and waved; a small smile on her face. Ed grinned back, and Al returned the wave. The old woman gave them a disapproving look, but said nothing. Luci turned away from them and followed her inside.

The door banged shut behind her, and Wolf was left outside, standing on the porch. He stared at the door for a long moment, then turned and walked away from it. "Do not ask me what is inside," he said quietly. "That is for Luci to tell you, and even she will have trouble remembering. That house is where they go the day before…" he trailed off, eyes cast down at the gravel road. "Come. We will meet the head alchemists now." Wordlessly, Ed and Al followed him, back the way they came.

Wordlessly, that is, until they met that girl again. This time, a boy stood next to her, tall and pale with eyes like midnight. He wore a metal faceplate, and one automail arm. Both of them had shackles on their wrists, similar to Luci's. "You took her back." The boy said. Wolf nodded. "You took her _back?" _

"Ed, Al," Wolf said, "Meet Shadow," he gestured at the boy, who glared at them, "And Sarah." She did not look at them, but stared at Wolf, disbelief and anger filling her brown eyes.

"I can't believe you," Shadow said.

"I do what I am ordered," Wolf replied, "I do what I must to stay alive."

"You put your daughter to death!" Now hatred shone from his eyes, and dripped from every syllable he spoke. "You aren't a wolf, _Experiment 367_. You're a snake."

"Start a rebellion then Shadow!" Wolf yelled, "See how far you get before they kill every single possible rebel, every man, woman or child who stands in their way!" His dropped to a dangerous level of calm. "Try that and you'll only die faster." He turned away, and Ed followed him. Al paused, but went after them as well.

"Brother," he said, catching up to him, "This is such a strange place."

Ahead of them, Wolf laughed bitterly. "You want to see strange? Wait till you see any one of these chimeras morph into their full beast forms."

"What do you mean?" Ed asked. His thoughts had involuntarily returned to Nina, the little girl he had failed to save from a chimera's life before she was killed by Scar. Pushing those images away, he focused on Wolf's answer.

"You've never come across a being that can change its form, at will?" Al shook his head. Ed was listening, but not more than that. "I truly do hate to demonstrate… but you should know." With that, he closed his eyes. A moment later, both Ed and Al saw his skin begin to darken –but it wasn't that: It was fur; thick, dark fur. His incisors lengthened, and his eyes yellowed. "I'm not particularly good at this," he said, and his voice was a harsh growl. "Some of us can transform completely." He shook his head, and then, like a dog shaking off water, the fur melted back into his skin, his teeth became normal, and his eyes paled again. Both he and Ed gagged.

"That was… odd," Ed commented, trying to sound offhand.

"I hate doing it," Wolf admitted. "Like I said, I'm not particularly good at it. I prefer just having the heightened senses that come with being half-wolf." He turned and continued walking. "Try to forget what you just saw. And don't tell Luci."

"Why did they rename her Lucifer?" Al asked. "It's an awfully strange name to give to a girl. Or anyone, really."

"She used to call them all devils," Wolf replied, "Down to the children who practiced alchemy for fun, not knowing what their parents used it for. She was planning to overthrow them. I could catch her, before she went for the experiments, muttering, 'Devils, the lot of them'." He paused for a full minute, and simply walked. "They took her eyes as a punishment for that. Said it happened in the circle, but I was there when it happened. They were kind enough to put her under first. Maybe it was because I was there and they didn't want her recognizing me and waking my memories, like she did last night. Maybe they have a bit of human in them. I don't know.

"But she says her eyes see differently now, and though she won't tell me how, they do. She was twelve, the minimum age for the experiments; acted just like she does now. The only difference was she had moments… Moments when she was my daughter again, and she was just scared. Not resentful, rebellious, or anything. Just scared." He spoke as though he had been waiting for them to ask this question for a while. "But we're here now. I'll leave you. Remember, you treat any_thing_ that isn't a high ranking guard or fellow alchemist as scum, and I'm included."

"Right," Ed said, "And the high ranking guards are…?"

"The ones you'll see on the top floor of the labs," Wolf replied. "Now wave me off. Go on, they'll be watching."

_Right, _Ed thought. "Go on," he snapped, waving at Wolf as though trying to shoo away a stray dog, "Get lost! We'll find someone more competent than you here!"

"O-of course Master Elric…" Wolf stammered," I am honored to have met and assisted you." He bowed and scampered off.

"Hmph," Ed snorted, "Like he was of any help to us. Dragging us through the ruins of the town and almost getting us injured or worse…" It had been decided Al would speak as little as possible by Al himself, who hadn't been eager to speak against Wolf, or Luci, or anyone. This having been mentioned, he only nodded as he followed his brother up the path to the doors. One chimera, a sort of cat/reptile thing, stared at the two with glowing red eyes. It was curled up in front of the door, blocking their path.

"And who," it asked with a hissing, cat-like voice, "Are you?"

"Edward Elric," Ed snapped, "The Fullmetal Alchemist." The chimera stood up, stretched, and moved to the side.

"Enter, sir Fullmetal," it said, "But he must stay outside." It nodded to Al.

"No way," Ed said, "He's coming in with me." The chimera must not have been particularly aggressive, because it moved away quickly, allowing both of them passage.

…

Luci walked along a dim hall. Some called it a hall of memories, she thought of it as a hall of death. It was wallpapered with pictures of people who had passed through it, all of their faces dead and expressionless. She didn't look at them though. She didn't want to see herself as she was before. Instead, she focused her gaze straight ahead, and continued to think of the mark on the back of Ed's cloak. She had her own, of course… what was it called again… an ouroboros?

And with that remembrance, memories flowed into her.

It was a Flamel that they wore. What it symbolized, she didn't know, but… a Flamel. The snake draped over a cross, embellished by wings and a crown.

And then she remembered where she had seen it before.

"_Come along then," a woman said, "I'm sure you'd like to get to your quarters for the night, but the Lieutenant Colonel wishes to meet you. Can you see well?"_

"_Well enough to walk," Luci had replied, a few years younger and somewhat shy. The woman, who wore the blue uniform of the state military, smiled at her. _

"_Alright, come on then." She had dark brown hair that was cut boyishly short, and had a small mole below her left eye. She had introduced herself as Second Lieutenant Ross, and Luci had taken to her immediately._

_She had followed the lieutenant up to the main building, and inside, where they had been met by a man who appeared to be in his thirties. He was very kind, if not somewhat overenthusiastic, and she quickly realized she'd be staying with him and his wife during the night. She had thanked him over and over again for his hospitality, but he'd told her it was nothing just as frequently. It had been he who had first called her 'Luci' instead of Lucifer. He had been ready to speak strongly against the experiments that had done this to her, but she had told him not to. _

"_I will seek your help when the time is right," she had said the next morning, as the two walked down the street to Central HQ. "Believe me, Mr. Hughes, if you came out so brashly, you could lose your post. _They _could make sure you did." Then, as an afterthought, she added, "I'd probably be punished for telling you about this as well." _

_Hughes had replied, "Then I'll keep silent for now. But when you need me, I'll be right there for you. You have my address?" She'd nodded._

"_I'll send you a letter if ever a time arises when we can overthrow our leaders."_

"_You don't have to be so formal Luci," he'd said, smiling, "Lighten up a bit. You've still got your whole life ahead of you."_

"_Maybe," she had replied cryptically. Then they turned a corner and she lost her train of thought. A boy and a suit of armor were walking ahead of them, and slipped inside HQ without a comment from the two guards. There was a strange symbol on the back of the boy's cloak, which he wore despite the day's warmth. "Who is that?" She had asked, "And what's that on his back?"_

"Lucifer," a voice snapped her out of her memories. "Get up child, what on earth happened to you?"

…

AN: Yes! It's longer, and done in (at the moment) record time! Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist… *sigh* I should have never tried to sue for ownership rights.

Also, a quick and pointless warning: Blood, blood, and I'm pretty sure Ed broke the fourth wall around here somewhere…

Ed: WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORT?

Me: NOT YOU!

Ed: REALLY?

Me: YES!

…

Luci blinked, and realized she had fallen to the floor. She was still in that first hallway, and she saw, for a brief second, her own picture, before she had lost her eyes and her arms and her leg. She was several years younger, and her blue eyes glittered with rebelliousness. Then the old lady blocked her view of her old self, looking down at her with concerned eyes. "Lucifer," she asked again, "are you okay?"

"It's Luci," Luci snapped in reply. "And I'm fine. I want to see And- An-" she paused for a moment, trying in vain to remember the name she had known for years. Finally, she sighed, defeated. "Gabriel." The woman smiled.

"Ah Lucifer…" she sighed, "You've not changed a bit. Come on, get up." She was much stronger then she looked, and easily pulled the girl to her feet. She too glanced quickly at the photo of her granddaughter before leading her away. First her daughter-in-law had died; then her son had been turned into a chimera, then her granddaughter taken for experiments, and now that same beloved granddaughter was being put through that same thing again. She wanted it to end, yes, but there was nothing she could do but make sure those who were marked for the experiments were comfortable and well-fed on what were probably their last nights alive.

Luci shivered. She wondered just how old this woman was, but more than that, she wondered if she would be able to face the alchemists in the morning. There had been two of them last time; one a woman with long, straight black hair and glittering blue eyes who was called Dr. Rose, and a fat man several years older and about a foot shorter than her, with graying hair and a continuous squint, named, of all things, Dr. Thorn. Of course, there were also the assistants, but they were at least somewhat human, on some level. She would face them first, with a heart of stone and eyes of steel and copper coil and tiny cameras that saw no color, but heat, and intention, and she would call on the Philosopher's Stone and kill them all before they could touch her.

_If only I could, _she thought sadly. _If only I could. _So she followed the old woman to the room she would sleep in that night, dreaming of fighting her way out of the laboratories, as she had dreamt the first time she had come here.

…

Ed and Al met another Chimera several feet away from the door. This one walked upright, but its feet were cloven hooves and a pair of bull's horns sprouted from the top of its skull. However, despite its appearance, a sharp word from Ed sent it cowering and constantly asking if they were alright. It sickened the Elrics, and they were glad to say goodbye to it at the stairs.

As the two of them paced up the red carpeted stairway, Ed shook his head sadly. He didn't dare say anything to Al, but he thought to himself, _'Why does the military do these things? These were human beings, and look at what they've been turned into!' _They reached the top of the stairs, and a shaft of sunlight illuminated the next guard. This chimera had obviously once been a beautiful woman, but the six inch talons growing where her fingernails would have once been and her cat-like eyes and mouth marred her beauty now.

"Welcome to the top floor," it said in a smooth voice. "Who are you?"

"Edward Elric," Ed said, "and this is my brother, Alphonse."

The cat-woman blinked. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sirs. Why have you come?" She did not have any emotions in her voice, and though the question was spoken like one (with a slight raise in pitch at the end) it did not hold any real curiosity.

"We're here to see the head alchemists," Ed said, realizing only then that he had not gotten their names from either Luci or her father. The chimera did not, however, seem to take any notice.

"Dr. Rose and Dr. Thorn," she said, "of course. How stupid of me to not realize your intentions." Ed almost started in surprise, but the chimera turned and began walking down the hallway. Her leather moccasins made no sound, and a black striped, orange tail was visible where her skirt ended just below her knees. The Elrics followed her somewhat cautiously through several narrow hallways lit only by artificial lights until the chimera stopped at a door. "Their offices are just through here," she said. "Please, feel free to enter whenever you are ready."

"Of course," Ed replied. He felt rather nauseous as he raised his automail arm to knock. He hesitated for a split second; then metal rapped against wood. In a moment, the cat-woman chimera was gone, and the door swung open. Where the barrier had once been, a rather fat, short (but still a bit taller than Ed) man stood. He had graying hair around his temples, and wore thick wire framed glasses over squinting eyes.

"Hello," he said with an air of pleasant surprise, "I am Dr. Thorn." He held out his right hand, and Ed shook it without thinking.

"Edward Elric," he said. "And this is Alphonse." Seeing Thorn's surprised glance at the large suit of armor, he added: "He's my younger brother. He's shy." Thorn nodded.

"Of course. Please, do come in." He stepped aside, and the two brothers entered. He closed the door gently behind them. "You will have to excuse the mess; I wasn't expecting company, and Dr. Rose, my colleague, is taking a vacation day… Please, have a seat." He was scuttling around, attempting to pull some chairs from a tall stack and failing miserably due to his height. Ed sighed.

"Here," he said, "Allow me." He put his hands together, then knelt and pressed his palms to the wood floor. There was the brief flash of light that normally accompanied alchemy, and then two chairs rose out of the wood. They were attached to the floor, but luckily the floor hadn't thinned enough to collapse under either of them as they sat down. Dr. Thorn sat down in his own chair with a slight air of astonishment.

"You didn't use a circle," he commented. Ed nodded. "And you have an automail arm."

"And a leg," Ed said, and quickly added his usual excuse. "I lost them in the war." Dr. Thorn snorted.

"I'm sorry my boy, but I doubt that greatly. We have all heard of the Fullmetal Alchemist here; the youngest alchemist in the military, and now, if I might say so, the greatest." His squinting eyes now glittered in a way that Ed didn't like at all. "May I ask what brings you to this humble town?"

"Yes," Ed replied evenly, trying to ignore the look in the doctor's eyes. "We're trying to find the Philosopher's Stone." There was a long; intense moment of absolute silence, where a feather could have fallen and been heard.

Then Dr. Thorn laughed. "Well boys, haven't you come to the right place! Why, we're starting a new experiment tomorrow!" He laughed some more, and when his joviality had subsided, Ed ventured a question.

"An experiment?" He asked cautiously, hoping he wouldn't hear the answer he knew he would.

"Yes, yes," Dr. Thorn said, "We are attempting to find a way to mass produce Philosopher's Stones here. That is what the military set us up for here, in the desert." Ed paused for a moment before asking his next question.

"How, exactly, are these experiments performed?" He asked, trying to appear interested. His stomach felt like it was about to revolt, and violently so. It was tied in a nervous knot, and he was almost afraid to hear the answer to his own question.

However, Thorn didn't seem to realize it. He smiled. "Well, I'm sure you know that human souls must be sacrificed to create a true Stone, but what we're trying to do is find a less…" he paused, struggling for words. "Well, what we're trying to do is find a way to create the Stone without sacrificing so many souls. Our test subject for tomorrow has already been subjected to the circle once before, and we believe she may have some form of the Philosopher's Stone in her bloodstream; due to an imperfect transmutation." Ed gasped in shock, but quickly disguised it as one of surprise.

"You must be kidding," he said. Luci said she had the Stone in her eye… but what if she was wrong? Dr. Thorn shook his head, and seemed about ready to say more when there was a knock on the door.

"That must be Dr. Rose," he said, standing up and walking over to the door. "One moment boys." The door opened, and a woman stepped inside. She had eyes like sapphires, hair like silken ebony, and skin as white as milk.

_Yuck, _Ed thought, _milk._

_She looks kinda like Lust, _Al thought.

Dr. Rose stepped into the room, wearing a white lab coat that fell to her knees, black slacks and black heels. "Thorn," she said gently, "who are these people?" She was staring at Ed and Al, her sapphire eyes glittering as though she could see right through them.

"Dr. Rose," Thorn exclaimed, "meet Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, and his younger brother Alphonse." He gestured to each of the brothers in turn as he said their names.

"It is a pleasure," Rose replied tonelessly. "May I enquire as to why you're here? Most of the military isn't to know about us." She acted almost bored with the new visitors.

"Why, they're here to see our newest experiment tomorrow!" Dr. Thorn's exclamation saved Ed from having to come up with an on-the-spot excuse.

"Ah yes," Rose said, "rarely does science look back on its failures, but this time, both Dr. Thorn and I thought it worthy of a repeat experiment on this subject. Post-experimental blood tests ran positive for traces –only traces, but still, of the Philosopher's Stone. We ran the same blood tests on other subjects, but we didn't find anything –oh, but I'm lecturing, aren't I? So sorry." She laughed softly to herself, and it was then that Ed made the same connection that Al had.

_Lust? _This woman looked almost exactly like the homunculus, but for the eyes. "No," he said, "It's fine… we've been looking for this stone for many years now, anything about it interests us." The woman smiled.

"Well then, I am sure you'll quite enjoy viewing the experiment tomorrow," Dr. Rose smiled at them; a smile that sent a shudder through Ed's spine.

…

Alphonse looked through the window. Through the glass, he could see a tree just beginning to bud, and as he watched, a bird fluttered down onto one of the branches. The blue sky hung over the scene like a silk scarf hung over a pair of tent poles, and radiated a certain majesty that the younger Elric could not quiet place. He wondered where Luci was, and if she was alright, and wondered too about Wolf, and Sarah and Shadow. He paid very little attention to the conversation that took place.

Until, of course, he was mentioned.

"Your brother is very silent," Dr. Rose said slyly. "He is also quite tall for a… younger brother…" She had taken a seat next to Thorn, and was sipping on what could either be a cappuccino or a cup of tea (Ed couldn't tell because it gave off no smell). The Fullmetal Alchemist paled.

"He's, um… he's not very talkative. He's shy!" Ed stammered, knowing that this woman must have figured something out. _How could she know? _

"But why then," Rose's voice was colder than ice, "is he so tall?"

"Rose," Thorn said sharply, stopping Ed from going on a rant (and possibly taking down the whole building), "these two are distinguished guests…" He trailed off though, when the woman set her cup down lightly on the floor, stood, and plucked Al's head off. Suddenly fierce, she threw it at Ed, catching him off guard enough to knock him off of his chair. Al briefly flailed around for the helmet that was now residing on Ed, before Rose forced him to stay still with strength Ed would have never thought she had.

"What are you hiding from us?" Dr. Rose demanded, looking into the empty suit of armor. "Who is in here?" Dr. Thorn looked shocked. "It's the girl, isn't it," she yelled. "You fools! You…" She trailed off, brushing the hair out of her eyes. Ed sat up, groaning slightly. He took Al's head off of his, and gasped in horror.

"Thorn," Dr. Rose said excitedly, "look… it's a blood seal. A perfect blood seal." Her fingers neared it, but then seemed to falter, unsure of what to do. Thorn excitedly stood and walked over, forgetting, in his excitement, Ed. The State Alchemist in question took advantage of this, and threw the helmet that served as his brother's head at the short man. But, to his shock, he did not knock the man out or stun him. Instead, the scientist reached out much faster than Ed would have thought possible, and caught the helmet with one hand.

"Go alert the chimeras," he snapped, "tell them to get in here immediately." Rose slipped out, and Ed and Al (who still hadn't spoken a word) both heard the lock click behind her. Thinking quickly, Ed pressed his hands together, meaning to transmutate a hole in the floor below Al. However, before he could press his hands to the floor, Dr. Thorn slammed the helmet back onto the suit of armor and wrenched Ed's automail arm behind his back.

Ed tried to bite back a scream, but as the nerves that kept his mind connected to his arm tore, he found that he was already crying out in pain.

"Brother!" Al cried, leaping to his feet.

"Al, no!" Ed yelled, "Get out of here!" He heard a sickening snapping noise as his automail arm finally tore away from his body, and the pain proved to be too much. _Winry's gonna kill me, _he thought.

The last thing he saw before he passed out was the door opening, and the cat-woman chimera walking in.

…

AN: Well, it's long overdue, but… I really hope you will forgive me. I had fun writing the last part, if that means anything… Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!


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